


Rescue Mission

by PhoenixAccio



Category: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Anakin Skywalker Deserves Better, Anakin Skywalker Needs a Hug, Fix-It, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Post-Order 66 (Star Wars), anakin leaves the sith post-vader, anakin skywalker voice dad can you come pick me up im scared, and also bc ive never seen the actual movies, dubiously accurate vader armour because its weirdly hard to find info about, everyone in this godforsaken franchise needs therapy, i just think he deserves to change his mind!!!, mind-control chips
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-03
Updated: 2021-02-10
Packaged: 2021-03-13 01:48:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,351
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28520391
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PhoenixAccio/pseuds/PhoenixAccio
Summary: The shiny pushed a few buttons, and a hologram flickered into view on the comm's projection platform.Visible on the comm was the heavily scarred face of a man who was unmistakably Anakin. The ventilator covering his mouth made his voice come out strangely, which was all the more jarring with the rest of the helmet off."Obi-wan," Anakin said, placing a hand over his eyes. "I- I'm sorry, Master, you were right. I know that offer was probably just talk, but if it wasn't, I-Please.I can't do this anymore."
Relationships: CC-2224 | Cody/Obi-Wan Kenobi, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker
Comments: 13
Kudos: 237





	1. Chapter 1

Obi-wan had expected to be prepared to see his old padawan again. He'd thought he would be alright, Anakin- Vader, he correxted himself, Anakin was gone, was a Sith Lord now, there was no returning from that. When the black-clad man entered the room where Obi-wan had found himself trapped, Obi-wan realized how wrong he had been. 

Because their training bond had opened up again. 

It was faint, of course, barely connected anymore, but somehow it was still there, and Obi-wan could _feel_ Vader through it. What he felt stopped Obi-wan in his tracks as he nearly dropped his lightsaber. 

There was hardly any malice emanating from that still painfully familiar mind. What Obi-wan did feel was _anguish._

"Anakin?" Obi-wan breathed before he could stop himself, and to his amazement the Sith Lord jerked back, startled. 

The pain was even more apparent through the dregs of their force-bond now. 

Some was physical pain, (a lot, Obi-wan observed grimly as it echoed through his own body) but the strongest sensation Obi-wan could feel from the man who had been his padawan was betrayal. 

As the bond tugged at both of them, attempting to strengthen now that they were back together, more emotions slipped through with it. Anger, yes, but also more guilt and fear than Obi-wan had ever expected to feel off one lost to the dark side. 

As he felt those emotions course through the bond into his mind, he was struck with the realization that Vader was not yet past twenty-five. His hand moved to cover his mouth, lightsaber flickering off as his blade hand dropped to his side. Vader was younger than Obi-wan had been when he'd taken him as a padawan, and Vader (but he was Anakin, wasn't he?) was _terrified._

"Anakin, I'm sorry," Obi-wan said softly, voice choked. 

Miraculously, Vader--Anakin--stopped in his tracks. 

"What- what do you mean, you're _sorry?"_ Obi-wan's old padawan asked, and his voice was so painfully familiar and so young-sounding and utterly _lost_ that Obi-wan nearly cried. 

"I'm sorry for not realizing what was happening sooner," Obi-wan continued, almost automatically. "I could have helped-" 

"Helped with _what?"_ Anakin snapped, his tone defensive and so much like the boy Obi-wan remembered. "I'm fine, I like it here! I'm not a _slave_ to the Order like you are, _Master!"_

Obi-wan realized with a jolt that they had never quite spoken to Anakin about his past on Tattooine. Whose idea had it been to just assume it would be fine? 

"I can feel how much you hurt, Anakin. I do not feel you liking much of anything," he said finally. Anakin didn't respond, simply crossing his arms over his chest. 

"I'm sorry we abandoned you when you most needed help," Obi-wan continued, hoping desperately that Anakin could feel the sincerity in his words. 

There was a moment of wavering consideration through their bond after that. Obi-wan had gotten through, at least a bit. After a moment, though, anger surged back in, hot and biting at Obi-wan's mind. 

"It's too late for that, Master!" Anakin spat, voice disdainful. Obi-wan thought, though, that perhaps he could hear the well-disguised choke of tears underneath. 

He didn't have much time to deliberate, though, because Anakin was rushing at him, sickly scarlet blade humming and deadly, and Obi-wan had to fight. 

By all standards, the fight was not long. Obi-wan got a few hits in, but his hesitance to harm his opponent gave him a serious disadvantage. His one good hit had been a strike to the face that had broken Anakin's helmet, but the sight of that familiar face only served to throw Obi-wan off even more. After that it was a matter of minutes before Anakin was on top of Obi-wan, pinning him to the ground with 'saber at his throat. This was almost certainly over, Obi-wan thought. Nothing mattered now, so he may as well try to help Anakin, even if it were futile. 

"It's never too late," Obi-wan whispered, eyes on the ceiling. "It's not too late for you, Anakin. If you want to come back, we will help you. We will not force you to return to the Order, but you do not need to stay somewhere that hurts." 

Taking a chance, Obi-wan glanced at Anakin's face, half-revealed behind the broken mask. Anakin's anger was gone, confusion and grief and fear in its place. 

"I'm sorry, Anakin," Obi-wan said. "I'm so, so sorry we failed you. I cannot possibly make up for all the hurt I caused by not being there when you needed it. I would understand if you killed me here." 

Obi-wan sighed, closing his eyes and feeling the Force around him for a moment, before looking back at Anakin. "You can stay here, but if you ever find you do not wish to feel like this anymore, you must know that you can always come back. Always." 

Anakin seemed frozen in his tracks, lightsaber humming and lighting their faces up red. His yellow eyes were glossy now, sparkling in the laser's glow as if filled with surpressed tears. They looked at each other for a moment, and Obi-wan was not sure what would happen. Then, Anakin blinked, face hardening again into the guise of disdain. 

"I am happy here," Anakin said firmly, and pushed himself to his feet, clipping the 'saber to his belt and sweeping out of the room just slightly too fast. 

Obi-wan, however, was still alive, and to him that one thing was enough to tell him for certain that the boy who had been Obi-wan's padawan was still in there somewhere. 

Obi-wan lay there for a few moments, then pushed to his feet, retrieving his own lightsaber from across the room where it had been knocked from his grip. As the crystal hummed in his hand, happy to be back with him, Obi-wan commed Rex to come pick him back up. 

* 

Two weeks later, Obi-wan was awoken by his comm beeping on his bedside table. Groggily, he rolled over to answer. 

"Kenobi," came the voice from the other end. "Get down to the comm room. Now. There's something you need to see." 

"I'll be right there," Obi-wan replied, and rolled out of bed to get dressed. 

When Obi-wan reached the room, Ahsoka of all people was waiting, along with an assortment of clones. 

"This must be important, if you're here," he told Ahsoka, surprise colouring his voice. The captain of a starship did not come down to watch just any comm. 

"Trust me, it is," she replied gravely. Obi-wan sighed. 

"This message came in a few minutes ago. It- It appears to be from Darth Vader, sir," the shiny operating the comm computer said. 

Obi-wan nodded. "Play it." 

The shiny pushed a few buttons, and a hologram flickered into view on the comm's projection platform. 

Visible on the comm was the heavily scarred face of a man who was unmistakably Anakin. The ventilator covering his mouth made his voice come out strangely, which was all the more jarring with the rest of the helmet off. 

"Obi-wan," Anakin said, placing a hand over his eyes. "I- I'm sorry, Master, you were right. I know that offer was probably just talk, but if it wasn't, I- _Please._ I can't do this anymore." 

The comm shut off after that, and Obi-wan stood there, stunned. 

"It _has_ to be a trap," Ahsoka said firmly after a few seconds, crossing her arms. 

"Oh, it's very likely," Obi-wan agreed. He paused for a moment, then said, "I want to go get him anyways." 

"What!?" Ahsoka asked loudly, presumably wondering if Obi-wan had lost his mind. 

"I think we should get him. Maybe it is a trap. We should still do it." 

_"Why??"_ Ahsoka looked as if Obi-wan had suggested they go find some bear spiders to poke with sticks. 

"If it is a trap, we can deal with that when we get there, it will be fine. If it isn't a trap, though, and we just leave Anakin alone again? I cannot live with the possibility of abandoning Anakin to the Sith a second time." 

"That's a pretty big 'if'," Ahsoka pointed out. "Is the possibility that he's being sincere worth risking your life? Our soldiers' lives?" 

"I'll go in alone," Obi-wan replied firmly. "He's still young, he deserves a chance to change his mind. I won't deny him that, we owe him that much." 

Ahsoka looked ready to argue, so Obi-wan spoke again. 

"As his Master and as his friend, it was my duty to recognize the path Anakin was going down long before I did. I failed him in that, and I failed to protect him from Sideous's manipulations in time. I refuse to fail him in that way again." 

Obi-wan sat back, crossing his arms as he waited for Ahsoka's response. 

"...Alright. Fine. You can try," Ahsoka conceded. Then, pointing a finger scoldingly at Obi-wan, added, "But only because I know you're just going to sneak out regardless, and I'd rather you have a _chance_ at not getting yourself killed." 

"As if you wouldn't do the same thing," Obi-wan teased lightheartedly. 

"Hey," Ahsoka protested, grinning despite herself. "I learned it from Anakin, and we all know whose padawan _he_ was." 

Obi-wan rolled his eyes theatrically, expression a mirror of Ahsoka's. 

"Thank you," Obi-wan said after a moment, sobering. "For letting me help him." 

"Don't worry about it," Ahsoka replied. Then, quietly, "It'll be nice having him around again, if this is for real." 

"Yes, it will," Obi-wan agreed. He knew Ahsoka missed Anakin, deep down. They all did.

Anakin's comm had had coordinates attached, which simplified things somewhat. The plan was elaborate but not overly so, and not the kind of plan he was accustomed to. 

"Are you _certain_ I cannot just use the Force?" Obi-Wan asked Rex for the hundredth time. 

"Yes, general," Rex repeated. "You won't have time to get that far, they'll be on you before you open your mouth. It has to be the armour." 

Obi-wan sighed. "I know, I know, the chips." 

"The chips," Rex echoed gravely. 

Leaning back against the window, Obi-wan closed his eyes. Meditation had been difficult since Anakin's message, but he may as well try. 

* 

Obi-wan had resorted to cycling through lightsaber katas in an empty room by himself when Rex's voice came through the comm on his wrist, informing him that they had arrived. 

Straightening, Obi-wan turned his 'saber off and clipped it back onto his belt. 

"Be right there," he replied. 

Rex was waiting for him in the cockpit when Obi-wan arrived. 

"Don't die," he said firmly, clapping Obi-wan on the shoulder. 

Obi-wan grinned. The clone looked nervous, but like he was trying not to be. 

"I'll try my best," Obi-wan reassured him, nodding. "I know you'd all miss me _terribly_ if I did." 

His tone was playful, and Rex laughed it off amicably. 

"You'd like that, wouldn't you," Rex quipped back. As Obi-wan adjusted his cloak over his borrowed tactical blacks and stepped off the ship, they both politely ignored the tinge of anxiety that reverberated through the force, and the wetness in each other's eyes. 

Obi-wan went over the plan in his mind as he approached the compound. His infiltration--and didn't it feel strange for that to be _his_ job--was timed so he'd run into as few troopers as possible on his way in, but Obi-wan still had to avoid a few guards, slipping past when their backs were turned. 

He could feel Anakin's Force signature, deep within the base. It was strange, twisted by the Sith's influence, but Obi-wan could feel his old padawan faintly underneath, suppressed but still struggling for the surface despite everything. It made his chest hurt with a renewed need to get Anakin _out_ of this horrible place. 

The Stormtroopers' force signatures were different. There was no trace of whoever they had been, but without even the personalized clouding of the dark side in their place. They were blank holes of white in Obi-wan's not-quite-vision, practically droids were it not for the distinct sensation of a living thing. It turned Obi-wan's stomach to witness. 

Pulling into a side room currently empty of those awful blank minds, Obi-wan ran a hand through his hair. Armour next. Right. Obi-wan could feel a patrolling Stormtrooper approaching the doorway, and steeled himself. This was the plan. 

As the trooper passed, Obi-wan grabbed him, pulling him swiftly into the room before he could react. 

_"You don't want to resist,"_ Obi-wan told him smoothly, putting some Force behind his words. 

"I don't want to resist," the trooper repeated hazily, as the influence took effect. 

The voice was so painfully familiar Obi-wan's chest ached. He was a clone, Obi-wan reminded himself. They sounded the same, it didn't mean anything, they weren't the same people anymore. 

"I'm terribly sorry, but I'm going to need your armour," Obi-wan informed the clone, who nodded absently. Obi-wan reached out quickly through the Force to check for signs of life. Finding nothing but the blank clone in his arms, Obi-wan took a breath and began removing armour. 

When the helmet came off, though, Obi-wan's stomach dropped. The face underneath was familiar of course, but they all were, that meant nothing. The issue was the scar. He knew that scar. _He knew that scar._

_"Cody?"_

"My designation is CC-2224," replied the painfully blank clone in Obi-wan's arms, frowning in confusion. 

Obi-wan nearly broke down right there. He easily could have, had he allowed himself, because this _hurt._ He was so close, so _close,_ the man he thought he'd lost forever was right there in his arms, except he _wasn't,_ because the clone in Obi-wan's arms was just an empty shell where a person used to be, who didn't even know his own name. It would be a mercy to kill him here, Obi-wan knew, to release him from the miserable half-life he was living. The cut of his lightsaber would be painless and quick. 

Looking into those eyes, though, Obi-wan knew he couldn't do it. Even if it was better, even if it would relieve pain, Obi-wan couldn't bring himself to end someone's life like that. 

Especially not Cody's. 

"I am so sorry," Obi-wan told the white pit where his _cyare_ used to be, and used the force to put him to sleep. 

Cody's unconcious form was tucked into a closet beneath Obi-wan's cloak when the fully-armoured Jedi left the room. Obi-wan hoped he would be safe until he got back, and he _would_ be back, he swore it. For now, though, it was time to get back to the reason he was here to begin with. He carefully pushed the pain and grief back down to be dealt with later, when everyone was safe. He had a job to do. 

With the armour on, Obi-wan could walk through the halls unobstructed. He had to admit, he was glad to be finished with sneaking around for the time being. All he had to do now was follow the feeling of Anakin to its source. 

"Obi-wan," Anakin rasped through his respirator. His back was turned, examining a holopad in his hands as his Force signature reached out tendrils to touch at Obi-wan's. Obi-wan could feel the darkness clearing like a fog as Anakin's familiar light reached out to touch at his master's. 

"Anakin," Obi-wan replied, as he reached back. 

"You came back for me," Anakin said, voice carefully schooled neutrality. Obi-wan could feel the surprise Anakin was hiding, but didn't mention it. 

"I did promise," Obi-wan replied, in the warm tone he'd used to comfort Anakin _before._ "Come with me, we don't have all rotation." 

Anakin nodded, placing his holo-pad down and turning to follow Obi-wan back out the door. 

Fortunately, the Stormtroopers were so afraid of Darth Vader by now that nobody got in their way. 

"Why are we stopping," Anakin muttered, as Obi-wan paused by a familiar door. 

"I need to get someone," Obi-wan replied. "I'll only be a moment." 

Leaving the Sith Lord by the door, Obi-wan slipped through quietly and opened the closet at the back of the room. 

"I'm back for you," Obi-wan muttered to Cody's sleeping face. What _used_ to be Cody, he tried not to think. "Come on." 

Obi-wan picked Cody up carefully, using the Force to lessen his weight, and carried him back out to Anakin. 

"You done?" Anakin asked as Obi-wan approached, then faltered, confused, at the man in Obi-wan's arms, wrapped in brown cloak and tactical blacks. "What are you doing with him? We need to go." 

"I know," Obi-wan replied firmly. "And we will. I had to-- I can't leave him here, I can't, not again." 

Anakin wanted to argue, Obi-wan felt, but he said nothing, simply nodding. He turned on his heel and continued down the hallway, leaving Obi-wan to follow. 

This all looked incredibly suspicious, Obi-wan imagined. He was sure if it weren't for Anakin he'd already be quite dead. As it was, however, they ran into no trouble, troopers seemingly too afraid to do much more than salute as their leader passed. It was almost too good to be true. 

Almost. 

The troopers avoided them, obedient, but neither Obi-wan nor Anakin had accounted for the bounty hunter who met them just as they walked out the door. 

"My lord, what are you doing here?" the hunter asked, giving a slimy little bow. 

"I am leaving," Anakin replied flatly, voice not betraying how his heartrate spiked. "More is not your business." 

"My apologies, sir, your Sith-ness," the pitiable being purred. "I was simply wondering, is that a Jedi you are leaving with? I was under the impression that being a Jedi was punishable by death, and that one seems to be somewhat... alive." 

Why had Obi-wan ever thought this would work. They were caught, and they hadn't reached their extraction point, and now they were going to have to run, and-- 

Before Obi-wan had any more time to lament their plan's inevitable failure, he felt a rush of fear and anger surge from Anakin's Force. As quickly as they had left, the clouds of the dark side had returned, cloaking Anakin in a blanket of rage as he let out a wordless shout. Obi-wan turned just in time to watch his long-lost brother slam the poor bounty hunter against the compound's outer wall, dangling by his neck in the Force's grip. 

"Anakin!" Obi-wan cried, taking an aborted half-step forwards as he reached out. Anakin did not react, as if he hadn't even heard Obi-wan speak. 

"Anakin, stop," Obi-wan said, gently laying Cody's body on the ground to step forward properly, placing one hand on an armoured black arm. 

Anakin snarled at the contact, dropping the bounty hunter as he turned to lunge at Obi-wan. 

"Anakin, please, it's alright. You need to calm down!" 

"Do not tell me to calm down!" Anakin growled. "He's going to ruin _everything!"_

"Anakin," Obi-wan repeated. "He's not, he doesn't matter, we need to _go!"_

"No!" Anakin protested, grabbing the bounty hunter again as he tried to escape. 

"Anakin!" Obi-wan repeated. "We do _not_ need to kill him, let me wipe his memory, and then we can leave, we've already been here too long. Before we do that though, you need to _breathe!"_

Anakin blinked. He breathed in, out, loud through his respirator, following Obi-wan's lead. Gradually, with his breathing, Anakin calmed down. As the rage dissipated, so did the dark clouds blocking his Force. 

"I'm sorry," Anakin said quietly. 

"It's okay," Obi-wan replied. 

Turning, Obi-wan waved a hand in front of the terrified bounty hunter's face. 

"You won't remember you saw us," he said, suggestion charged with Force. 

"I won't remember I saw you," the bounty hunter repeated. 

At a glance from Obi-wan, Anakin released his captive back into the base. 

"Alright," Obi-wan said, retrieving Cody from where he still lay. "Let's get off of this rock." 

Anakin nodded emphatically, and Obi-wan could have sworn he almost felt a laugh. 

"Rex," Obi-wan said, pushing the button of his comm with a finger of Force. "We're ready to go." 

* 

Anakin genuinely seemed nervous as they boarded the ship, Obi-wan noted. He could understand why. One didn't typically return from betraying everyone they care about to be welcomed with open arms. 

"Rex," Obi-wan greeted, nodding at the clone in question, eyes tracking Anakin as he slipped past Obi-wan to lean against a wall. For a moment, Rex hesitated, eyes darting between Obi-wan and the man in Obi-wan's arms. Dressed like him, Obi-wan realized. Right. 

"Unexpected change of plans," Obi-wan said, and pushed back the hood to reveal that distinctively-scarred too-familiar face. 

"Is that..." 

Obi-wan nodded. 

"I think so. Or, he was, at least, he didn't recognize his name when I used it." 

Rex took a deep breath, reigning in the reaction Obi-wan felt was coming. 

"I never thought I'd see him again," he finally breathed. 

"Me neither," Obi-wan replied. "I'm so glad we did." 

As if on cue, Kix stepped around the corner. 

"Hey, how did it go, did anyone--" he cut himself off, staring in shock. 

"I found Cody," Obi-wan said. "Take him to the medbay. Please." 

Kix blinked a few times, processing. 

"Of course! Of course, right away, how- is he alright?" 

"He's fine, he's still chipped, you need to get it out," Obi-wan said too quickly. 

In response, Kix just nodded, taking Cody from his place in Obi-wan's arms and rushing off back down the hall. 

With that taken care of, the focus shifted to Anakin, still skulking by the wall. 

"So," Rex said. "Decided Palpatine's fanclub wasn't for you?" 

"Yes," Anakin muttered, sounding very much like a petulant child as he intently avoided eye contact. 

"That's him, alright," Rex joked, giving Obi-wan a knowing look. He turned to Anakin then, and smiled. 

"Glad to have you back." 

* 

Soon after arriving, Anakin had been whisked off to the medbay, and Obi-wan to his office to write up his debriefing report. Obi-wan didn't get a chance to see Anakin or Cody until several days later. 

"Is Cody alright?" Obi-wan asked Kix the moment he found him. 

"Uh, he's fine," Kix replied. "He's sedated for now, until we can find someone to remove his chip. I may be a good medic, but I'm no neurosurgeon." 

"I understand," Obi-wan said softly. 

"Do you want to see him?" Kix asked. Obi-wan nodded immediately. 

Cody looked very small without armour, Obi-wan thought. 

"I can't feel him anymore, you know," Obi-wan said quietly, to the room and to Kix. 

"Feel him?" Kix asked, coming to stand at his side. 

"His Force signature," Obi-wan continued. "All their signatures, they're just... blank. Like a hole where a person used to be." 

"Oh," Kix replied softly. 

Obi-wan reached down and touched Cody's hand. He was too pale. Obi-wan's chest hurt. 

Obi-wan stood at Cody's bedside for a long time, eyes locked on his sleeping face as if Cody would disappear if Obi-wan so much as blinked. Obi-wan appreciated the way Kix quietly pretended he couldn't see the tears on Obi-wan's cheeks. 

Eventually, Obi-wan took a deep breath and allowed himself to pull away, looking up at Kix. 

"How is Anakin?" 

"He's alright, sir," Kix replied. "The damage to his body is quite extensive, but it's all healed over, it's old." 

"That's good," Obi-wan said. Damage he caused, his mind reminded him dutifully. 

"Is there anything you can do about--" he swallowed. "About the pain?" 

Kix paused. "He didn't mention any pain." 

"I felt it, before. I feel it whenever I'm near him," Obi-wan replied. "It-- Can you do anything?" 

"Alright," Kix agreed. "I'll see what I can do." 

"Thank you," Obi-wan breathed. 

"Do you want to see him?" 

Gratefully, Obi-wan nodded. 

Anakin's mask was off, as was a good deal of his armour. His bed was bent at the top, propping him up, and various tubes and electrodes were hooked up to his body, or what was left of it. 

"Anakin," Obi-wan said, trying not to let his voice shake. He crossed the room to stand where Anakin could see him. 

"Hi," Anakin said awkwardly. There was an oxygen cannula in his nose, which only revealed more of the horrible scarring. 

"I'm so sorry," Obi-wan breathed. 

"It's okay," Anakin replied. "You came back for me. Thank you." 

And the pain in those last two words was what broke Obi-wan, finally. All of the grief and guilt and loneliness he'd been holding back for years, since Mustafar, since Order 66, since _Maul,_ came rushing out at once, and he fell to his knees with a sob. 

"Anakin, I'm so sorry, I'm _so sorry,"_ Obi-wan gasped. "I-- I should never have left you behind, you're my brother, I _left_ you, I--" 

Obi-wan broke off to hyperventilate, screwing his eyes shut tight against the light that was suddenly too much. 

"It's okay," Anakin rasped from the bed. "Hey, uh, come here. It's not your fault, it-- I'm the one who betrayed the order. You didn't make me do anything." 

"I _left_ you!" Obi-wan shot back. 

"You came back!" Anakin shouted, before breaking into a painful-sounding coughing fit. 

Obi-wan was so stunned he stopped crying for a second to stare, sitting there in silence as Anakin recovered. 

"Are you alright?" he asked once Anakin had gone silent. Anakin just nodded, breathing still careful. Shakily, Obi-wan stood, and made his way to Anakin's side. 

"I missed you," Anakin whispered, trying not to trigger another coughing fit. 

"I missed you too," Obi-wan replied. 

Anakin was watching Obi-wan curiously. His eyes were still yellow, and might always be, but they were gentler-looking than any Sith's eyes Obi-wan had seen in his life. Obi-wan could almost pretend they were still blue. 

"It's not your fault either," Obi-wan said softly. Palpatine--Darth Sideous--had hurt a lot of people very badly, but he may have hurt Anakin the most. 

Obi-wan would never let that happen again. He swore it.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cody wakes up.

It took them several weeks to find a droid to do the surgery. Ahsoka had contacts, of course, but even without Vader, the Empire was dangerous and everywhere. Secrecy was of the essence. Honestly, Obi-Wan didn't know where his grandpadawan had gotten the droid, but he really couldn't find it in himself to care. The thing was by no means pristine, looking a bit like it had been pelted by a great deal of gravel, but it worked and that was what mattered. It was certainly leagues better than using an _astromech_ to take the thing out, which was a story that, although he knew Ahsoka hadn't been lying, Obi-Wan still struggled to believe. 

_"I'm sure you have no idea where she might have gotten a reckless streak from, right, sir?"_ Rex had quipped, the first time he and Ahsoka had told Obi-Wan the tale. He'd simply huffed and crossed his arms at the time, insisting he had no clue what they were talking about, he'd had _nothing_ to do with any impulsivity Ahsoka may have inherited. Rex and Ahsoka had both looked beleagured and drawn, undereyes dark as they hadn't been even at the height of the war, and Obi-Wan couldn't imagine he'd looked better. 

Those early days had been the most difficult, Obi-Wan thought. He'd experienced this loss before, when his own master had died, but he'd been twenty-five, then. Ahsoka wasn't even eighteen. That the snapping of a force-bond was painful was something younglings knew before leaving the crèche, but it wasn't something that could be fully understood by those who hadn't experienced it themselves. The pain was on a level most people would never get close to. In those days after Ahsoka and Rex had found Obi-Wan on Tatooine, Obi-Wan had found himself more grateful than ever for the strange dual training-bond Ahsoka had formed with both Obi-Wan and her real master. 

Now, Obi-Wan admitted Rex may have been right about the source of Ahsoka's recklessness. He'd trained _(failed)_ her master, and he'd helped to train her. Obi-Wan could practically see his master's fondly exasperated face were he to hear what Obi-Wan had been doing of late, and the image made the scar of their broken link twinge as if to make sure Obi-Wan hadn't forgotten. Obi-Wan took a deep breath, letting it out slowly in a hiss as he rubbed his eyes. _Force,_ he needed to meditate. 

The comm on Obi-Wan's wrist beeped and he pushed the thought aside to pick up the call. 

"Kenobi," he said automatically 

_"Sir,"_ Kix's voice greeted him from the other end. 

"And testing, I hope?" Obi-Wan prodded drily, trying to keep the mood up. Beetle was their best (and only) slicer, and Obi-Wan trusted her work implicitly -- it had saved them all more than once, but he knew Kix had a tendency to get caught up in what-ifs. Sometimes the clone just needed to explain to someone that everything would be fine in order to realize it himself. 

Sure enough, Kix was already replying: _"Of course it's been tested, sir, Beetle is a wizard with those things. Cody will be perfectly safe, this procedure is about as safe as experimental brain surgery can get."_

"I'm sure it is," Obi-Wan replied, nodding automatically despite the audio-only format. "I'll be right down." 

_"Copy that, sir,"_ Kix replied, and hung up with a click. 

The medbay was filled with a sort of anxious tension today, Obi-Wan observed, which was fair. It tended to be, but it always surprised him now that the medics were actually making him leave at least overnight. Obi-Wan hoped the atmosphere wasn't affecting Anakin too badly, and then hoped somewhat more guiltily that Anakin hadn't been unintentionally contributing to the medics' stress himself. For a moment Obi-Wan wanted very badly to go and check on him just in case, but he pulled himself away. He needed to see Cody first, he would visit Anakin once he knew his _riduur_ (and they'd never taken the _riduurok,_ had they? Was naming this thing between them crossing a line Cody wouldn't want crossed?) would be alright. 

"Obi-Wan," Kix smiled, hovering near the door to Cody's room. The use of the ex-general's first name was clearly alien on his tongue even now. 

"Hello, Kix," Obi-Wan replied, uncertain if the warmth with which he had attempted to inject his voice was coming through properly. To his own ears, he mostly just sounded tired, and Kix seemed to hear it too. 

"Are you getting enough sleep, sir?" Kix asked. "You look--" 

"Terrible?" Obi-Wan prompted as the medic trailed off. Taking the guilty look as confirmation, Obi-Wan smiled sadly. "It's alright, Kix, I'm sure I do. As for the sleep, I..." he briefly considered lying, but he knew he couldn't fool Kix, and the lie would only worry him more. Obi-Wan sighed, relenting. 

"There is so much turmoil in the Force, Kix. I don't-- I try to rest, but there's only so much I can shut out." 

Kix frowned, eyebrows drawing together slightly, concerned expression reassuringly familiar. 

"I'll be alright, Kix, I promise," Obi-Wan said softly. He wasn't sure if he was lying this time, but he hoped he wouldn't be. "I just need some time." 

"Alright, sir," Kix relented, seemingly satisfied. He spoke again as Obi-Wan made for Cody's door. "If you ever feel like you need someone to keep a look out for you so you can rest, let me know. Or anything else. Please. Brothers look out for brothers... Obi-Wan." 

"Thank you, Kix," Obi-Wan replied softly. "I will." 

_Brothers,_ Obi-Wan thought, and wiped at his suddely prickling eyes. He had no idea how he could possibly have earned that. 

On the bed, of course, was Cody, looking every bit as small as he had when he'd arrived. He was being kept asleep for now, so he didn't hurt himself trying to resist either them or the chip, but Obi-Wan came to visit him as much as he could get away with, balanced alongside time with Anakin and Kix-mandated breaks to eat and sleep. 

"Hello, dear," Obi-Wan greeted softly, sitting in the uncomfortable white chair beside the bed. "I missed you. I know it hasn't been very long, but I'm still not used to not seeing your face every moment of the day, even now. I think it's worse now I know you're here." 

Obi-Wan brushed a stray curl out of Cody's face, watching as it sprung right back when the hand was removed. It was getting a little longer these days. Not long by most standards, but for someone as usually perfectly groomed as Cody even just on this side of 'in need of a trim' seemed like a massive deviation compared to the usual regulation crop. 

"Maybe the medics will give this a bit of cleaning up while they've got you in there, since they'll have to shave some anyways," Obi-Wan joked softly. They wouldn't, of course, but that wasn't the point. "I'll be glad to see your face again, my dear. Properly, I mean. It's not the same when you're not there behind it." 

The double meaning to Obi-Wan's words went unspoken and unacknowledged. Cody would be able to read between the lines, were he listening, and that is enough. Obi-Wan touched Cody's cheek, curling downwards to press their foreheads together gently. He remembered the messy, lopsided keldabe when his master had died, emotion keeping him from caring about the fact that he'd mostly gotten Qui-Gon's right brow rather than his actual forehead until much later. The loss still hurt--had never stopped hurting--but it was duller now, faded. Cody's absence ached like a missing limb. When Kix came by again to let Obi-Wan know it was time, Obi-Wan couldn't help but wonder what he would do if Cody died here, wonder if that was what would finally break him. 

Obi-Wan breathed, air heavy in his lungs. 

He closed his eyes, and he waited. 

* 

It felt like both ages and no time at all had passed when someone finally came to get Obi-Wan. He'd been reluctant to slip into meditation, wanting to be immediately retrievable once Cody's surgery was finished, and hadn't quite decided yet if this had been a mistake. The clearheaded calm brought by his connection to the Force might have made the wait easier. Regardless, however, there was a medic at the door calling his name, so Obi-Wan opened his eyes. 

"Sorry if I... interrupted something?" came the voice again. The medic wasn't Kix this time, but a nervous-looking twi'lek, a junior medic by the name of Aasha. 

"You didn't, Aasha, don't worry," Obi-Wan reassured nym. Ne looked almost comically surprised Obi-wan knew nyr name, so much so that in different circumstances Obi-wan might have laughed. The twi'lek had heard stories, he imagined. He smiled at nym in a way he hoped made him seem more approachable. "Did Kix send you?" 

Aasha nodded, shifting one dappled purple lek where it brushed nyr shoulder. 

"The surgery went well," ne reported, voice carefully professional. It didn't completely cover the nerves, but that would get better in time, Obi-Wan knew. "Cody's alright, but he's still unconcious. Kix wanted to stay with him." 

"Of course," Obi-Wan replied. "Lead the way, then, Medic Aasha." 

"I'm not a full medic yet," Aasha corrected overseriously. 

"I know, but there's nothing wrong with a little practice in the meantime, is there?" Obi-Wan teased good-naturedly. "I'm sure you'll be a full medic in no time, you should get used to being treated like one." 

Finally, Aasha allowed nymself a smile, shedding some of the nervous tension ne'd been holding since ne'd arrived. 

"Thank you, sir," ne said. "I'm glad you think so." 

"Of course," Obi-Wan replied. The rest of the walk to Cody's new room was a lot more comfortable, now that nobody was scared of him. Obi-Wan wondered how Anakin had tolerated all of that fear, before realizing that he hadn't. Anakin had been too surrounded by the whirlwind of his own emotions that they'd drowned the rest of it out. The thought made Obi-Wan feel nauseous, so he pushed it away, deigning to think about it properly at a later date. Anakin was safe, at least physically, and he was relatively stable at the moment. Right now, his priority was Cody. 

As Obi-Wan reached Cody's room, he found himself almost expecting for nothing to have changed, for him to walk in and see Cody on the bed again, unconscious and small. Despite this, he could hear quiet talking from the other side, and as he lowered the careful shields around his Force-sense just slightly, (Aasha looked at him, worried, as his steps stuttered) he realized he could _feel_ Cody too. Obi-Wan put his hand over his mouth to stifle the embarassing high keen this revelation induced. 

Behind the door, somewhere, Kix was glowing gently, the usual soft not-blue brighter with joy to be properly reuniting with- 

Cody, who shone like a sun. 

He was slightly muted, likely the anesthesia's work, but even still he was so bright and warm in Obi-Wan's mind that Obi-Wan couldn't think of how he'd ever been able to handle being alone. Cody felt like home. 

"Are you alright, sir?" Aasha asked carefully. Absently, Obi-Wan realized he'd been crying, and wiped awkwardly at his face 

"Fine, Aasha, thank you," he replied after a moment. "I can feel him in the Force." 

"Oh," Aasha replied, looking only vaguely like ne understood what that meant. "You can go in now, if you want?" 

"I will, thank you, Aasha," Obi-Wan said, nodding at the twi'lek, and opened the door. Obi-Wan took about two steps into the room, but as the door slid shut behind him with a hiss he found himself frozen in his tracks. 

Inside, Kix was indeed sitting by the side of the bed, talking gently to a Cody who was very much awake. When the door closed, Cody looked to the source of the sound and made eye contact with Obi-Wan. He didn't move. 

For a moment, all Obi-Wan felt was his heart beating rabbit-quick against his ribs. He knew Cody was alright, he'd _felt_ it, but suddenly all he could think about was the possibility that the conditioning would somehow be triggered by a Jedi's presence and Cody would lose himself again, and this time maybe never come back. Obi-Wan couldn't do that to Cody's brothers, couldn't do that to _Cody--_

But Cody wasn't rushing towards Obi-Wan, and he wasn't losing himself, and when Obi-Wan looked he still shone brightly _himself_ in the Force, and Obi-Wan watched as Cody's eyes filled with tears. 

_"Ni ceta,"_ Cody sobbed, and Obi-Wan broke. 

_Ni ceta,_ Obi-Wan, I'm so sorry, I killed you, I _killed_ you!" 

"Cody," was all Obi-Wan could find in himself to say. He'd spent all this time hating himself for not being able to save the man he loved, for not trying harder to find him, alive somewhere in the Empire being forced to commit atrocities, and now Cody was apologizing to _him?_

Cody looked devastated, and it made Obi-Wan's chest hurt. Cody didn't deserve this, nor any of the other _vode,_ he didn't deserve to think it was his fault. 

"Cody," he repeated. "Cody, you don't need to apologize, _k'lamot di'dunla,_ it wasn't _you."_

"It _was_ me," Cody insisted, voice shaking. "I should have been able to resist it, I should have done _something,_ I--" 

Cody cut himself off with a wet gasp, and choked for a moment on tears. Immediately, Obi-Wan was at his side, instinct still stuck-sharp despite the years of separation. Obi-Wan shied away, though, before his hand could rest in Cody's hair, on his shoulder. Cody might not want touch right now, might not want touch _ever_ (might not want Obi-Wan's touch, _traitor,_ you _left_ him with them.) Obi-Wan did not know how those years had affected Cody. It struck him that he might not know Cody at all, anymore. 

Cody nodded after a moment, confirming that he had recovered. The sudden absence of sound weighed heavy in the room, awkward and imposing. Obi-Wan opened his mouth, still not knowing what to say but hoping it might come to him once he'd started. Before he got a chance to find out, however, someone else broke the silence for him. 

"Cody," said Kix, looking at him with a gaze so intense it might be a glare on anyone else. 

Cody didn't say anything, but Obi-Wan felt his attention shift through the Force, watched his shoulders drop minutely. 

"Rex tried to kill Commander Tano," Kix said bluntly. Obi-Wan frowned. Despite his reputation as a medic, Kix had never been one for needless cruelty. Obi-Wan didn't understand the purpose it served to tell Cody about this now of all times. Kix wasn't finished, though, so Obi-Wan held his tongue. 

"She had to knock him unconcious to stop him, or he would have killed her. Executed her on the spot as a traitor to the Republic. Do you blame him for that? Think we should ship him off back to the Empire for it?" 

Hearing Kix speak about handing his brother over to the enemy to likely be executed himself the way someone might ask what you wanted to do on the weekend was somewhat disturbing for Obi-Wan, if he was being honest. Finally, Cody spoke up. 

"Of course not!" he snapped. "Rex would never willingly hurt the commander, he wasn't in control of himself!" 

"So what makes Rex so different from you, that it wasn't his fault?" Kix challenged. "You said you should have been able to resist your chip, what about Rex? Is he weaker than you are? Less capable?" 

"Absolutely not," Cody replied, sounding appalled. "Rex is as capable as the rest of my _burc'ye,_ even if he wasn't officially a commander like we were." 

Kix gave Cody a meaningful look, and Cody scowled. 

"It's- look, it isn't the same," Cody argued. "Rex didn't kill Tano, he probably didn't even hurt her--" 

"You didn't kill me either, Cody," Obi-Wan said softly. The room went silent again, Cody looking as if he'd forgotten Obi-Wan was even there. "You didn't kill me, I'm alright, Cody. I can't blame you for things you would never have knowingly done."

Cody was staring at Obi-Wan, still looking for all the world like he expected Obi-Wan to walk out on him. Taking a risk, Obi-Wan reached out slowly, giving Cody ample time to push his hand away if he didn't want Obi-Wan to touch him, and brushed his hand through Cody's curly hair, pulling it around to rest on his cheek, right underneath the scar Obi-Wan knew better than any of his own. 

Cody was frozen now, wide-eyed, and Obi-Wan almost pulled his hand away before Cody reached up almost Jedi-quick to catch it. Cody's warm brown skin was strangely desaturated from lack of sun, and it felt salty under Obi-Wan's palm where tears had made their ways down his face. 

"I missed you," Obi-Wan whispered. "I missed you, Cody, I missed you so much." 

"I didn't remember who you were," Cody replied. On the last word, his voice broke. 

"I forgive you," Obi-Wan said, because it was what Cody needed to hear. "There's nothing to forgive, but I forgive you anyways." 

Cody let out a miserable, high-pitched noise that was almost a wail when Obi-Wan bent over and, using the hand on Cody's cheek as a guide, carefully pressed Cody's forehead to his own. 

Kix had left the room at some point, Obi-Wan observed, and found himself grateful for the medic's consideration as he collapsed to sit on the edge of the bed with his forehead still firmly against Cody's. 

When Cody finally fell asleep, having cried himself out curled in Obi-Wan's arms, Obi-Wan was beginning to drift off himself. The Force, when he reached out, was in just as much turmoil as it had been this morning, but Cody's signature by his side helped drown it out just enough so that Obi-Wan could finally rest. Gently, Obi-Wan pressed a kiss to the top of Cody's head, and finally allowed himself to rest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> there's probably going to be more of this i dont know who i was kidding marking this as complete lol


End file.
